Go Anaerobic: What It Is and Why to Do

It

http://breakingmuscle.com/strength-conditioning/go-anaerobic-what-it-is-and-
why-to-do-it
Eric C. Stevens
Coach

A few years ago I went through a battery of fitness tests. I ran an obstacle
course and a mile and half timed run. There was also a one-minute
pushup test, a flexibility test, and situp test, as well as a 300-meter
sprint. The mile and a half was challenging as I was running a pretty fast clip
for me. The pushups and situps weren’t too problematic, as I am pretty lean
and have a decent strength to weight ratio. I’m flexible, too, so that part wasn’t
bad, and the obstacle course, while difficult, was actually kind of fun. By far
the toughest was that 300-meter sprint. I felt like I was literally running for my
life and was going to keel over and hurl at any minute. After completing the
sprint I was gasping for air and my body was cramping. My sides hurt and my
lungs burned. Sounds fun, huh?
 As
a coach, I have touted the benefits of anaerobic exercise for
years. Clients always want to know which form of exercise reigns supreme,
cardio or strength? As a generality, weight loss clients and especially women
tend to favor cardio, while men tend to favor the weights. Both are obviously
important, but my response to this question has always been that it’s how we
do both that is more important. Meaning, do anaerobic exercise. It’s not a
popular answer because of the scenario described above – it hurts!

How could something that feels so bad be so good for us? Well, it’s like
eating kale or broccoli – certainly not as tasty as ice cream, but much
more beneficial. We know this truth deep down, but still, we will go to almost
any length to avoid hearing an answer we don’t want to hear. If you want the
body most want - toned and defined, not too muscular and not too lean - and if
you want to achieve optimal fitness, then anaerobic exercise reigns supreme.

What Is Anaerobic Exercise?

When I am coaching novices on getting their sprint on, I ask them to imagine
a blood thirsty Rottweiler (not to pick on Rotties) trying to take a gash out of
their hamstring - run like that. Or as a sign I recently read said, “Run like
you stole something.” That is what it means to run anaerobically. You
can’t do it for long. Why? Because training anaerobically means training
without oxygen. Anaerobic exercise is defined as short duration, high intensity
exercise lasting anywhere from merely seconds up to around two minutes.
After two minutes, the body’s aerobic system kicks in. Examples of anaerobic
exercise are ones that use fast twitch muscle fibers such as jumping and
sprinting. By using and developing those fibers we enhance that musculature.

The Eyeball Test

Most people want a lean, yet toned body, but they train partially like a
bodybuilder and partially like a marathoner thinking they’ll end up in the
middle. Perhaps for a minute they’ll get there, but not in a sustainable
way. You want a body like a sprinter, dancer, or gymnast? Guess what?
You have to train like one. There is, of course, a chicken and egg debate
here. Are sprinters born with their bodies, enabling them to become sprinters,
or does participating in years of sprinting help them get those bodies? To
which the answer of most such dilemmas is ‘yes.’ Like anything, it’s not
nurture versus nature, but rather both happen. The key is to control your fifty
percent.

What Anaerobic Training Does

The anaerobic effect happens in the body when we exert ourselves at 84% of
our max heart rate and above. When we train in this level of intensity for
short bursts of energy, we create what is called EPOC, or excess post-
exercise oxygen consumption. In essence, EPOC is an after burn effect of
calories burning at rest for up to 38 hours post exercise.1 This type of training
can be incorporated into both our cardiovascular exercise as well as our
strength routines.
With cardiovascular exercise we can do sprint intervals and we can go
anaerobic in a strength application by doing explosive jump squats. The
residual effects are numerous: burning more calories at rest, developing
strength, a more efficient use of time, a more lean and defined body, and an
increased VO2 max. And there are even studies that correlate anaerobic
training to loss of belly fat and increased growth hormone.2

With all of the science and research behind anaerobic exercise, why isn’t it all
the rave and sweeping the nation by storm? I’m guessing it has something
to do with the fact anaerobic training is hard. Very hard. It’s not what
people want to hear, so fitness professionals don’t always tell you. Generally,
it’ a better business practice to tell customers what they do want to hear, and
so trainers develop fun exercise programs. Anaerobic exercise isn’t like that.
It’s not fun and takes a monstrous effort. It also feels terrible at times.

With such effort intensity comes an intimidation factor, as well as issues in

and around safety. I would highly recommend good coaching and a safe
environment before you head off on your own to the track to do sprint work or
into the weight room to do jumping push ups. As with any plan, preparation is
key - this means conditioning to condition, laying the proper foundation and
base. It also means proper maintenance is required: deep tissue massage,
proper stretching, myofascial release, and the use of heat and ice, for
example. If you’re looking to become more athletic or toned, and I cannot
frankly imagine someone who deep down wouldn’t want both, go
anaerobic and your body will thank you.
References:
1. Schuenke MD, Mikat RP, McBride JM (March 2002). "Effect of an acute period of resistance exercise on excess post-exercise oxygen
consumption: implications for body mass management." European Journal of Applied Physiology 86 (5): 411–7. doi:10.1007/s00421-001-
0568-y.
2. Irving, B., Davis, C., et al. "Effect of Exercise Training Intensity on Abdominal Visceral Fat and Body Composition. Medicine and Science in
Sports and Exercise." 2008. 40(11), 1863-1872.